Folding umbrella.



A. J. ERICKSON.

FOLDING UMBRELLA. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 6. 1913.

Patented Oct. 10,1916.

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FDLDING UMBRELLA.

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Patented Oct. 10, 1916.

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.ALBERT J. ERICKSON, OF BUFFAILO, NEW YORK.

FOLDING UMBEELLA.

Specification of Iietters Patent.

Patented Oct. 10, 1916.

Application filed February 6, 1913. Serial No. 746,469.

To all whom it may concern: y l

- Be it known that I, ALBERT J. ERICKSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Umbrellas, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in folding umbrellas, and it has for its primary object the production of an umbrella of this type which can be instantly extended and opened for use, or closed, or collapsed or folded into a compact space so that ity may be carried in a pocket.

Another object of my invention is the provision of an ornamental and practical umbrella of this type which will be .comparatively light in weight, yet possess the necessary strength required to withstand the elements of the weather and which can be produced at a reasonable price.

Another object of my. invention is the provision of means which will permit of folding the ribs of the umbrella frame into nested condition, and to so construct the ribs that the foldable sections thereof will be retained in perfect alinement when extended or unfolded.

A further object of my invention is to provide a collapsible staff having a top or point section, and means within said section for retaining the same in projected `position; to provide simple and effective means for holding the umbrella in closed or unfolded position; and to provide means yfor effectively locking the frame of the umposition.

invention consists in an umbrella comprissections in collapsed or im extended condition.

My invention further consists in means for properly supporting the frame and cover in a simplified manner and in the novel details of construction, and combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in the subjoined claims.

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of an umbrella embodying my invention, the same `being opened and ready for use with sufficient of thev frame and cover shown to an internal clearly illustrate the invention. Fig. 2 represents a similar view on an enlarged scale with the parts of the umbrella in the position they occupy when the staff is collapsed and the frame almost folded. Fig. 3 represents a sectional view similar to Fig. 1 with they parts shown as they appear when the sections of the staff are extended andthe frame closed. Fig. 4 represents an elevation of the umbrella when completely folded. Fig. 5 represents an enlarged section on line 'z2-QJ, Fig. 3, showing the runner of the staff in engagement with the retainer' lug on the main section of said staff. Fig. 6 represents an enlarged detailed view of the intermediate portion of a rib, and a stay or brace pivotally connected therewith, the intermediate portion of the rib being the adjacentk pivotally connected ends of the two sections thereof, one section being swung out of line with the other.v Fig.

represents a cross section taken on line fw-fw, Fig. 6. Fig. 8 represents a cross section taken on line -w, Fig. 6. Fig. 9 represents a perspective view of the lower or outer end of a stay or brace. Fig. 10 represents a side elevation of the runner. Fig. 11 represents aperspective view of the spring clasp which operates in conjuction with the runner. Fig. 12 is a side elevation of a portion of the staff. Fig. 13 is a cross section taken on line y-fz/, Fig. 12. Fig. 14 is an enlarged cross section taken on line z--a, Fig. 2.

Referring by numerals of reference to the drawings, 1 designates the umbrella staffl formed of metal tubing and comprising the main or receiving section 2, the intermediate or secondary telescoping sections 3, 4, and the point section 5, the whole being collapsible, as shown in Fig. 2. To hold the sections of the staff in proper relation, each section is provided with a longitudinallydisposed external V-shaped groove 6 whereby is formed in each section rib 7 thus providingthe groove and rib construction best shown in Fig. 14 so that one section cannot turn with respect to another. To retain the intermediate telescoping sections 3, 4 in opened or extended position, spring catches 8 are provided which are adapted to extend through openings 9 in the next larger or encircling sec tion, said openings being intersected by cross grooves 10 to permit of more readily depressing the catches. These catches while absolutely preventing the accidental closing of the section will, when pressed upon, yield and move out of the openings to allow the staff to be closed or collapsed. From this construction it is apparent that the staff may he collapsed when desired and may be instantly extended, and as the groove and rib construction above mentioned serves to retain the said catches in line with the openings 9 the mere act of extending the staff assures the ready insertion of the catches into'their coperating openings, and to further aid in this, these catches are rounded, as clearly shown in Figs. 1 to 3.

Slidable upon the section 2, 3 and L of r the staff is a runner 11 having at its upper end the notched rib holding flange 12 and at its lower end the internally-grooved portion 13 which is formed with a notch 14 opening to the lower edge of the runner to admit a retainer projection 15 on the main section 2 to enter. Said projection Ais normally out of vertical alinement with said notch, the purpose of this construction being to retain the runner, when in the position shown in Figs. 3 and 5, against movement lengthwise on the staff, thus preventing the accidental opening of the frame. In order to secure the runner in this position, it is only necessary to slightly turn the same so as to bring the notch 14 therein in line with the retainer projection 15 on the main section of the staff and then draw said runner over said projection until the latter is brought into registration with the groove 13 in the runner. Upon relieving the runner of the strain exerted thereagainst in slightly turning it on the staH, the retainer projection l5 is caused to enter the groove 13 and locks the runner against lengthwise movement. In order to` release the runner it is simply necessary to slightly turn the same on the staff until the notch 14C of the runnerA is brought into vertical alinement with the retainer projection 15 of said staE, after which the runner may be moved upwardly to cause the frame to open.

To the notched rib-holding flange 12 ofl the runner are pivotally secured the lower or inner ends of stays or braces 16, as at 17, said stays or braces being hollow or channelshaped, as clearly shown in Figs. 6 and 7. At their upper or outer ends these stays or braces are cut away, as at 18, and pivotally attached to said last-mentioned ends are the ribs 19 of the frame, each rib comprising two parts or sections 20, 2l pivotally connected together and to the stays or braces by a pivot pin 22, common to all. The two parts or sections 20, 21 of the ribs may assume either of the positions shown in Figs. 1 and 3 when the ribs are extended, and

when almost folded these parts or sectionsv assume the positions, shown in Fig. 2. Then fully folded the upper or inner part or section 20 of each-rib-foldsinto its cooperating channel-shaped stay or brace, while the lower or outer section folds into the upper section with the covering material 23 between the two. To perm-it of this the upper or inner section of each rib is also channel-shaped in cross section to receive the lower or outer section. By means of this construction, the two sections of the ribs, when the umbrella is folded, nest into the braces and therefore take up only the space of the braces, thus making a compact and close fold. By cutting away the outer ends of the stays or braces, sufficient clearance is provided to permit the ribs to swing in closey proximity to the staff, thus allowing the closing of the frame in the same manner as any ordinary umbrella. I provide for retaining the two parts or sections of each rib in unfolded position by curving the side walls of the upper or inner part or section 2l inwardly at their outer or lower ends, as at 24, and by slightly recurving the edge portions of said walls outwardly, as at 25. Vhen swinging the cooperating lower or outer part or section into line with the upper or inner section, the curved side wall portions of the latter yield and receive the adjacent end of said lower or outer portion, retaining the latter in position by the inherent spring pressure of said walls. In order to fold the ribs, it is simply necessary to exert sufficient force to overcome the spring pressure of the curved wall portions of the upper or inner parts or sections. In order to provide a secure fastening between the rib section, the upper or inner end of the lower or outer section is made solid, as at 26, preferably by inserting a solid piece of metal or the like into the channel thereof. Thus the side walls of the lower or outer sections, where they are jointed to the upper or inner section, cannot yield inwardly when forcing them between the curved wall portions of the upper or inner sections.

It is thus evident from the foregoing that the braces are connected at their lower or inner ends to the notched flange of the runner 11, and at their upper or outer ends to the two sections of the ribs. The upper or inner rib sections 21 are pivoted, as at 27, to a notched ring 28 threadingly or otherwise secured to the upper end of the stai section 4, and a nut 29 is threaded onto the extremity of said staf section to clamp the cover material 23 between the same and said notched ring, the latter and nut 29 constituting the cap hereinbefore referred to.

30 designates a lever catch which is located in the point section 5, it having a fulcrum protuberance 31 bearing against the inner surface of said section, a finger piece 32 which passes outwardly through an opening 33 in said point section-and projects therefrom above the nut 29, and aV keeper. 34

which passes through an opening 35 in said point section and into an opening 36 registering therewith in the staff' section 4, said lever catch holding the point section in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 3.

The runner 11 is slidable on the staff sections 2, 3, 4, and is adapted to be retained on section 4 by means of a flanged sleeve 37 which is slidable on the staff section 4 only and has curved spring fingers 38, the whole forming what may be termed a spring catch adapted to enter the upper end of the runner and bear against the inner surface thereof, at the same time bearing against the staff section 4. This spring catch by its spring frictional contact prevents slipping of the runner and retains the frame of the umbrella in open position. In order to frictionally engage said spring catch with the runner, as shown in Fig. 1, it is simply necessary to open the frame of the umbrella and force the runner upon the catch, only slight inward pressure on the spring fingers 38 being required, as said catches frictionally engage both the runner and the staff of the umbrella, and as the stays or braces 16 are substantially at right angles to the runner when the umbrellaJ is open, no strain upward or downward on the spring catch is applied.

In order to close the frame of the umbrella so as to assume the position shown in Fig. 3, the runner is drawn downward, which causes the spring catch to move with the same until it engages the inner end of the sta section 3, after which the runner continues in its lengthwise movement on the staff independent of said spring catch, the latter being prevented from following by reason of the inner end of the staff section 3 serving as a stop for the same, as shown in Fig. 3. When the frame of the umbrella is Jfolded and the staff collapsed, the spring catch moves upwardly on the staff section 4 in contact with the notched ring 28, it being retained in this position by reason of its spring fingers engaging an annular groove 39 formed on staff section 4 adjacent said notched ring. Vhen the frame is being closed and folded the `runner 10 moves upwardly on the staE and surrounds the spring fingers 38 of the spring catch but does not frictionally engage the same, as said spring fingers are relieved of outward pressure by reason of being entered in the groove 39 and the spring catch is consequently of smaller diameter at this point than the bore of the runner. The runner is therefore free to move downward or outward on the staff when unfolding and opening the frame of the umbrella, and the staffl free to be extended.

As a means for retaining the umbrella in folded condition, I provide the outer end of the main section 2 of the staff with a handle 40 having preferably an annular groove 41 therein which faces or opens toward the upper end yof the umbrella. This` handle may or inner rib sections 20, as clearly shown in Fig. 4. When the umbrella is folded'with the ribs engaged in the groove 41 of the handle the runner 11 will be retained in the position shown in 2, and only after drawing on the main section sufciently to disengage the ribs from the handle and when swinging said ribs will it-.be possible for the runner to move on the staff. It is apparent therefore that the handle indirectly serves as a means of retaining the runner in its luppermost position. When the umbrella is folded, the loose portions of the covering material may be rolled around the rigid portion of the umbrella in the manner shown in Fig. 4 and be held by a suitable band. When the covering material is thus rolled the umbrella yis but slightly larger than an ordinary umbrella when closed and rolled, and is approximately one-third the length so that it canbe conveniently carried in a pocket and be always at hand for use. After opening the umbrella, the spring catch remains in the position shown in Fig. 2, but may be easily d isengaged `from ,the annular groove 39, after which it will gravitate and lie in contact with the inner end of staff section 3.

The construction and operation of my umbrella will be readily apparent from the description and drawings, and it will be noted that the umbrella, when in use appears, as partly shown in Fig. 1; when the staff sections are extended and the frame closed it has the appearance shown in Fig. 3; and when almost folded the parts assume the positions shown in Fig. 2, and when entirely folded, the umbrella appears as shown in Fig. 4. The parts can be readily folded and opened and will remain in either position. The construction is light, but durable, of ornamental appearance and generally eiicient and useful.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is,-

1. A folding umbrella consisting of a collapsible sta formed of a plurality of Sections, a runner having a notched flange, a top ring having notches, a frame connected to said flange and ring, and a longitudinallymovable spring catch surrounding said staff and adapted to internally engage the upper end of the runner when the frame is open.

2. A folding umbrella consisting of a staE composed of a series of telescoping sections, an upper notched ring fixed on said staff, a runner slidable on said staff, a folding frame connected to said notched ring and runner, and a retaining element slidable on said staff above said runner and adapted to enter the upper end thereof, Said runner being movable with said retaining element during a portion only of its travel.

3. A folding umbrella consisting of a staff composed of a series of telescoping sections, an upper notched ring fixed on said staff, a runner slidable on said staff and provided with a notched brace-holding flange, a folding frame connected to said notched ring and flange, and a flanged sleeve having spring lingers to engage and hold the runner when the umbrella is open said runner being movable with said flanged sleeve during a portion of its travel.

4. A folding umbrella consisting of a staff composed of a series of telescoping sections, an upper notched ring fixed on said staff, a runner slidable on said staff and provided with a notched flange, a folding frame connected to said notched ring and flange, and a spring retainer also slidable on said staff and adapted to interiorly engage and hold the runner when the umbrella is open.

5. A folding umbrella consisting of a staff having a series of telescoping sections, a runner slidable on said sta, and a sleeve having spring fingers to engage and retain the runner said sleeve being slidable so as to engage the runner when the umbrella is open having spring fingers adapted to enter said runner and engage the internal surface thereof.

7. A folding umbrella comprisinga telescoping staff formed of a plurality of sections, a frame having a cover and being secured to one of said sections,` a runner lengthwise movable on said staff and having said frame secured thereto, and a spring retainer element movable lengthwise on said staabove said runner and adapted to interiorly engage and retain the latter in certain positions on said staff.

In testimony whereof, I have alliXed my signature in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ALBERT J. ERICKSON. Witnesses:

EMIL NEUHART, JACOB OERsT, Jr.

Copies ot this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

